General Update

I missed Wednesday's workout, so it looks like the 45 in 50 goal is going out the window, but progress is being made. I went to yesterday's Yankees vs. Red Sox game (official gloat for JK Running), but saw my beloved Sox lose their third in a row to the Yanks, getting swept in the Bronx. The Sox fans ended saying, "Still 5 games up" while the Yanks fans said, "We've in the wildcard." Only time will tell the real truth. Photos next week.

Somerset Patriots

I spent last night at a Somerset (NJ) Patriots game. It was a lot of fun. The stadium sits about a half-hour out the train line near my home. The Patriots were playing the Long Island Ducks. After 8 1/2 innings, the Patriots, who, if I understood right, are managed by former Met? Sparky Lyle, were behind 2-1. It was then that good managing came in. After one batter hit a long fly, the Patriots put in a pinch hitter. He got a base on balls. Then, he was yanked for a speedster. The speedster seemed to produce the desired effect, distracting the pitcher enough that the next batter put a Texas-leaguer down the first base line. The pinch runner's blazing speed brought him home, and the response allowed the hitter to advance to second. A massive fly ball by the next batter was enough to bring him home. Game over! The Patriots win!

Una Semana en la Republica Dominicana

(A Week in the Dominican Republic)
That's the reason why I wasn't posting last week. We flew down towards the approaching Hurricane Dean which skirted the southern edge of the island of Hipaniola (I need to check the spelling), the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We stayed outside Puerto Plata, on the north coast, so we didn't see the wind that the south shore received, just some rain, which was pretty intense at times.
Aside from a fairly long walk out of the resort complex, I didn't leave the immediate area. I spent the days mostly tucked under the shade of a tree in the corner of the pool's deck. There was a fairly constant sea breeze, but the sun was HOT! I got a fair amount of sun on my face, the backs of my hands, and the tops of my feet (an area where very little sun has a big impact).
I took a fitness class daily, it was to have been a stretching class, but was actually a combination of stretching and strength. Lesson: My core is weak. I also took two fitness walks, went for a run with a martial arts instructor.
My Spanish skills improved a bit, mostly the result of lots of asking "Como se dice...?" (I'm too lazy to look for the upside-down question mark that begins Spanish questions.)
The aftermath: I did not work out on either of the travel days, nor on the day after return, so of the 9 days involved, I went 6 for 9. An OK result, but it really should have been 7 for 9.

Seems A Bit Ironic

This sign, on a nearby highway, struck me as amusing.

Does Yesterday Count?

I did some upper body work yesterday, but I had no soreness afterwards. I did not do either walking or running. I left the gym figuring to count my workout towards the 45 in 50, but now I'm having doubts. Without soreness, I'm not sure I went hard enough.

My legs and feet felt better today. I did a half-hour walk on the mill. It listed as 2.4 miles. Slow for the condition I was in a year ago, but it seems to be just about my limit for a hard, sustainable effort.

This morning, I was at the gym at the time I used to usually be in. I got the "WHERE have you been?" from Josh and Dan. I had to confess my badness. I joked to Josh, "I've been working out outside," giving the wink that told him that I was doing my best Jon Lovitz playing Tommy Flinagin (How do you spell that?). I know that showing up there again with a large time gap will get me ridden hard. Those guys will keep me honest.

I'll likely be out of touch for a few days. I should be able to keep up the 45 in 50 though.

More On 45 of 50

First, last night, I ran four miles along the Long Branch, NJ boardwalk. The term is a somwhat loose application, as today much of the northern portion is covered with concrete pavers. Though my lower legs were whining a bit, the run went easier than I expected.

Next, Bruce "Vegas Runner" Robison questioned my 45 in 50 goal. He's right, it's a long-term goal, and not too many misses could make it unmet. Still, I stand by it. My intent is to get into shape, and if I don't meet the numerical goal, my conditioning will still radically improve. Thus, even if I miss the goal by a narrow or even moderate margin, I'll stil have made great strides in terms of conditioning.

Bruce suggested establishing shorter, more "bite-sized" goals. He's right, but my goal would be 7 for 7 each week, so the short termers would be fairly moot.

Concentrated Foods

A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to a report on food and the interviewee (man, that's an ugly word!) used the term "concentrated food." I think it may have been a cheesemaker. Regardless, since that time, I've been haunted by the concept. The point being made was that cheese is a food that is highly concentrated. I'm a cheese lover, so the concept struck home.

Depending on the type of cheese, making a pound of cheese may require a gallon or more of milk. It drove home the point that milk is mostly water, and just a relatively small amount of solids. The idea is similar with dried fruit, and with many "healthy" snack foods, like pretzels.

The concept related closely to Dr. Pritikin's "Eat wet foods" command, and the concept of volumizing.

Announcing A Goal - 45 for 50

On Monday, I had decided to establish a tough goal for myself regarding getting into shape. Since consistency is one of the keys to fitness, I decided to set a goal of that involves consistent workouts. Thus, I chose to set the goal of exercising 45 of the 50 days beginning on Monday. That means seven weeks and a day with a maximum miss of one day in 10.

Some people will tell you that establishing a habit takes 30 days. Others will say that basic conditioning takes 6 weeks to achieve. This goal meets both of those criteria.

Here I sit on Wednesday morning, a bit sore and fatigued, puzzled about last night's workout. I had gone to a park, which is supposed to close at dusk, and when I arrived, there was a cop there. He pointed his searchlight at my car, and when I rolled down my window, he asked, "Are you going to walk a dog?" I replied, "I was hoping to walk myself." He said, "Go ahead." So, off I went. I wanted to walk 3 laps of the park, which is 2.4 miles, and expected that it would take about a half-hour. That would give a roughly 12 minute/mile pace. When I finished, I looked at the clock, and it had taken 42 minutes. I was puzzled - Had I walked an extra lap? Had I walked really slowly? I just don't know.

While I doubled on Monday (a workout, followed by a race), that counts only as a single day, thus while I've finished 3 workouts in two days, it counts only as 2 for 2 by my system. (I can't bank exercise.)

Six Eyes!

I've worn glasses since fourth grade. Of course, at the beginning, I was pretty uncomfortable with them. About a year ago, I started to find the need for reading glasses. In high school, I got contacts. When I asked last year, my eye doctor told me to buy a pair of "cheaters" to wear with my contact lenses.
For various reasons, I've often found myself wanting to have a pair of glasses that would cover all my needs. When wearing my glasses, I'd often lift them to read, especially in low light. Last week I celebrated my 48th birthday. Two weeks ago, I'd gotten a pair of progressive bifocals.
I'd been warned by someone to be careful at the top of stairs, as peripheral vision can be compromised. My optician validated that. I found that a half hour of wearing got rid of that quease inducing feeling of motion.
I still often start to lift my glasses to read fine print, until I realize that I no longer need to do that. Old habits die hard. I will say that they work well, and if I want, I can read myself to sleep again.

Passing The Knowledge

Tonight, my son and I went to my club's weekly summer race, part of a series held annually for 44 seasons (since 1964). It's a four-lap course around a lake, that was the home course of Dr. George Sheehan, and has had some superb competitors run there over its long and storied history. (Read that as the records aren't soft.)

Anyway, tonight, my son, who's about to turn nine ran the 5K by himself. There was a man by him, and he pointed out the importance of running tangents to him. It's a lesson I've tried to tell him at times, but hearing from another source means: a)other words, b)it's not Dad, and c)the lesson is delivered in a different style. The result is a lesson that may get absorbed a bit more readily.

I was pleased that someone took the time to try to impart the understanding to him. Sharing important lessons with the next generation makes a world of difference. I spent a few minutes tonight talking to a high school coach who brings her team (well, they come voluntarily) and the race is a measuring stick. This year, she expects to be rebuilding, as she had only one occasional scorer from her cross-country team returning. I commented that the sharing of wisdom is key the year prior to this one. Simply put, if her team from last year could impart their hard-earned wisdom to this year's team, then it would be reasonable to expect big advances from this year's team. We'll see.

By the way, I racewalked and took fourth, garnering me 1st masters honors. Before you are impressed, I was fourth masters, but the guys who beat me took the overall awards, so I got the leftovers. Oh, and I am younger than all of them.

Finally, one of our stalwarts was there tonight. At 94, and with a case of macular degeneration, he's no longer able to compete, but he was in good spirits and moves like an 80 year-old. He walks about two miles a day.

Telephone History

Here are a few old telephone related images I just grabbed from elsewhere on the web including www.telephonetribute.com

And this Japanese payphone was picked up from 2600.com

Thank You, Sensei

My last post garnered a very positive comment from a photographer whose work I've long admired, Leo Kulinski, Jr. While he's not a household name, he took some wonderful running photos "back in the day."

Any of you who are interested in the history of running should pay his site a visit, you'll find it here. He also has some wonderful wildlife shots.

When you receive a compliment from the master, you thank them. And so, "Thank You, Mr. Kulinski."

Kelley Ocean Beach Race

For the last few years, I've made a pilgrimage to Connecticut to run in the Johnny Kelley Ocean Beach Race. This year, I felt the physical price of running it would be too great (yeah, I wussed out!), so I worked at two water stops with my friend, Patti Dillon, her daughter, Raven, and Dr. Bob Chasen and his son, Ben, and my son, Matthew.
Here we were at the water stop near the two-mile mark.
The men's winner, Eric Blake, passes the water stop at nine miles.
The women's winner, Melissa Perkins-Banas takes water at nine miles.
Race Director Way Hedding provided the funniest line of the day, when he said, "People will go to great lengths to avoid running in this race."
The New London Fire Department provides a welcome shower at the end of the race. Eleven miles in the broiling sun tends to cake you with dried sweat and this will help remove it.
Patti Dillon poses after the race with Steven DePolito, who has produced a video interview with Johnny Kelley the Younger. It focuses heavily on the years 1953-1957, when Kelley was working with his friends, George Terry and Nick Costes. Mr. Kelley, though best known as the winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon, probably did something more remarkable, winning the USA National Championship Marathon eight consecutive years - 1956 through 1963, then getting beaten in only by 1964 by Leonard "Buddy" Edelen, who had run the fastest marathon ever shortly prior.
Amby Burfoot, John J. Kelley and Patti Dillon at a post-race party.

Lending Excitement To Those Around Me

After my stroll on Sunday, I donated blood. For the first time in my life, I felt just a little light-headed after the donation. I spent a few minutes in the canteen and had some sugary fluids (2 aseptic boxes of green tea). Then, I headed home and down to my sister's house for lunch.
When I got there, the kids were playing with a toy that has a ring that goes around the ankle, a roughly two foot cord, and a rolling weight. It's a skipping or hopping toy. You start the weight, then lift your foot over it. So, you are almost dancing, or perhaps for those of us who are a runner, like a high-knees drill.
I did that for perhaps 30 seconds or a minute, then stopped, a bit out of breath. I walked into the kitchen and sat down. I told then that I felt like I was going to black-out. The next thing I knew, my wife was shouting and had ice on me. My brother-in-law was on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, and my sister was rushing around trying to get one thing or another to help me.
Once I came to, I felt a tiny bit woozy, and in a few moments, two cops arrived and administered oxygen. Moments later, some EMTs arrived. They took my vitals and questioned me. Then, a few moments later, paramedics arrived. By this time, my blood pressure was essentially normal, my oxygen saturation was 98%, and my pulse was normal. I declined to be transported to the hospital.
I'm not sure if the problem was hypoxia (low oxygen level), dehydration, or overheating. (The air conditioning had been off.) I guess I learned my lesson - ignore the post donation warnings from the phlebotomist at your own risk.

BTW - another stroll this AM - 7 laps of the 0.8 mile park in 1:12.